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One of my native friends saw I had one of my folders named "私の物" and told me it sounded too weird. I also showed that my phone has a group of apps named like that and suggested I use something like その他 instead. Even only 物 alone bothered them and told me Japanese don't use abstract words. (For folders? I'm guessing labeling in general?)

I was told to be more specific but I told them I didn't have time yet or just plain don't want to organize them so I just put them under "stuff" indefinitely.

It's my own property so I want to name it what I want. I won't use it if it's incorrect but it is correct, right?.

Although my main concern that I don't want to change the unique way I think just because a native Japanese would never name it that. I do things that Japanese would never do or say like being too honest or direct about something (which my friend likes a lot).

TL;DR: Does labeling/naming something 私の物 sound awkward? I don't care if it sounds "not native" or I think the word I'm looking for is unusual.

But if it sounds like I'm just being an awkward foreigner and using awkward, clumsy words then I think I will change it in that case.

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  • To clarify, Are we referring to folders in computer/smart phones (not the physical existence)? Also, you put just about anything (that you haven't classified properly) into that folder, am I reading right?
    – Yosh
    Dec 6, 2017 at 8:28
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    @Yosh Both physical and virtual folders. Yes, I just put anything that's not classified yet into that folder
    – Tek
    Dec 6, 2017 at 8:46

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Of course you can use whatever name you want, but I would say 私の物 is not really "native". Personally, I have not seen a directory named things by English speakers, either. Have you? I feel most people like something a little bit more specific, like docs, files. In addition, 私の has never been a natural naming convention in Japan. My Document on Windows is マイドキュメント in the Japanese version, and I think that was a reasonable choice.

If people need an unspecific directory name, they usually use ファイル, ファイル置場, 書類, etc., without adding 私の. (Of course I'm not saying this is a good naming convention.) If you share a computer with your family member, something like 太郎, 太郎の, 太郎のファイル or 太郎の物 would be accepted.

If you want an explicit etc or misc folder, what I've seen (or used) are:

  • いろいろ
  • その他
  • 未整理
  • 仮置き場
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  • I like to have fun with my naming. Here's a random example I found: goo.gl/zLDkSB I did actually have it in English before as "My stuff".
    – Tek
    Dec 6, 2017 at 9:42
  • It's funny, when I saw 私の物 I immediately thought "I bet the folder is named 'My stuff' in English". It's one of those times where the name looks obviously translated…
    – user1478
    Dec 6, 2017 at 12:30
  • I feel "my stuff" would be okay in English, but 私の物 somehow feels closer to "things" to me... I don't know why.
    – naruto
    Dec 6, 2017 at 14:06

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